Tomato Eggplant Zucchini Bake with Garlic and Parmesan Recipe
This Tomato Eggplant Zucchini Bake is a flavorful and comforting vegetable casserole, featuring tender zucchini, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes baked with garlic, fresh herbs, and Parmesan cheese. It’s a perfect side dish or light main for any season, delivering a delicious blend of savory, fresh, and cheesy flavors in an easy, wholesome bake.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 3 medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 small/medium eggplant (about 3/4 pound)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
Seasonings & Cheese
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (divided, about 2 1/2 ounces)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (divided)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a deep 9×9-inch baking dish or a similar 3 1/2-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
- Prepare vegetables. Quarter the zucchini then slice it into 1/2-inch pieces, aiming for each piece to be roughly 1/2 to 3/4 inches in size. Slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch rounds; then stack these rounds and cut into roughly 3/4-inch pieces. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Place all cut vegetables into a large mixing bowl.
- Season the vegetables. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables. Add the minced garlic, kosher salt, ground black pepper, 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and half of the chopped basil and parsley to the bowl. Toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly without bruising the vegetables.
- Bake the vegetable mixture. Transfer the seasoned vegetables into the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Continue baking covered. After 25 minutes, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and cooked through.
- Finish and serve. Remove the foil, then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley evenly over the baked vegetables. Serve the dish warm as a flavorful side or light main course.
Notes
- If your eggplant is larger than 3/4 pound, consider cutting it into smaller pieces or salting it to remove bitterness before using.
- To make this dish gluten-free, ensure Parmesan cheese is certified gluten-free.
- You can substitute fresh herbs with 1 teaspoon each dried basil and parsley if fresh is unavailable, though fresh is preferred for best flavor.
- This dish stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
